Nester's Microbiology 8th Edition by Denise Anderson,Sarah Salm,Deborah Allen

Exercise 2

The usefulness of a microscope depends on its resolving power. Light microscopes can magnify objects 1,000X. The most common type of microscope is the bright-field microscope. Dark-field, phase-contrast, and DIC microscopes increase the contrast between a microorganism and its surroundings. Fluorescence microscopes are used to observe microbes stained with a fluorescent dye. Scanning laser microscopes are used to construct three-dimensional images of thick structures that have been stained with a fluorescent dye. Electron microscopes can magnify an object 100,000X ; they include transmission electron microscopes (TEMs) and scanning electron microscopes (SEMs). Scanning probe microscopes, such as atomic force microscopes (AFMs), produce detailed images of surfaces.
What are some drawbacks of electron microscopes?